Phong Nha-Ke National Park, Vietnam— Photo: David Bishop

On this journey through the most diverse country in Southeast Asia, we will visit a wonderful selection of Vietnam's least-known birding areas, in addition to superb national parks, and have a good chance of observing many fine endemics and a number of other restricted-range species. Time will also be made to explore the Imperial capital, Hue.

The Gray-crowned Crocias, one of the rarest birds in the world, was recently discovered at a new location in Vietnam by VENT leader David Bishop. Read more.

A cursory glance at a map of the Oriental region will show that Vietnam is an unusual country, shaped roughly like a long and slender hourglass. Occupying the very edge of the Southeast Asian continent, Vietnam lies on a north-south axis and covers a huge latitudinal range. The central most slender part of the country is traced by the Truong Son Range and it is here that our new Central Vietnam tour will focus.

Vietnam's peculiar topography and its geographical location contribute to a complex climatic system. This all goes toward explaining Vietnam's extraordinary biological diversity. Vietnam is among the top 25 countries for species richness; for example, two thirds of mainland Asia's babblers are found in Vietnam. Vietnam also has a high rate of endemism, hosting seven species of primates (and seven more restricted-range species) and five species of babbler (seven more restricted-range). Most recently, several new areas have just opened up, and we will be in the vanguard of exploring them. Tucked away in gorgeous, forest-clad mountains, at least three new species of birds have recently been discovered here. We have a good chance of seeing two of them: Black-capped Barwing and Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush, in addition to a wonderful array of other specialties including Sooty Babbler, Limestone Warbler, Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Hatinh langurs (leaf-monkey), the elusive Red-collared Woodpecker, and a wonderful collection of babblers and laughingthrushes, many of them endemic to Vietnam or Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and southern Yunnan of China). And, of course, some very neat mammals and butterflies.

We will also take time to explore the remarkable antiquities of the imperial capital, Hue, while staying at arguably one of the loveliest resorts imaginable. Vietnam is a delightfully rich, safe, and undeniably fascinating country.

Our Central Vietnam tour is radically different from anything we have ever offered before. We will explore some little-known areas of upland forest that have just recently opened up. This will give us a chance to see the recently discovered Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush, in addition to such specialties as Black-hooded and the gorgeous Red-tailed laughingthrushes; Yellow-billed Nuthatch; Gray-hooded Parrotbill; the wonderful Indochinese Wren-Babbler; the colorful Coral-billed Scimitar-Babbler; the globally threatened Pale-capped Pigeon; and the Gray-crowned Crocias that we discovered there in 2012! We have also set time aside to properly explore the ancient imperial capital of Hue. This tour concludes with a trip to the attractive Phong Nha-Ke National Park, home to the enigmatic Sooty Babbler and two very special species of primates. Our tour concludes in the capital, Hanoi.

Excellent to good if somewhat spartan accommodations; famously great, delicious food; travel by comfortable 19-seater bus and plane; pace moderate with mostly roadside birding and some easy to moderate walking; midday breaks on most days; warm and humid in the lowlands with almost certainly some rain; cool and sometimes misty in the mountains.